My Blitz Thread

[Event "ICS rated blitz match"]
[Site "freechess.org"]
[Date "2012.11.15"]
[Round "-"]
[White "paulbuchman"]
[Black "1900+"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2086"]
[BlackElo "1900+"]
[TimeControl "180"]

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.f3 {Why not a BDG?} exf3 {I often meet 4. ... e5. Then, I just go into an even endgame with chances for both sides after dxe5.} 5.Nxf3 {I remember seeing a Pupols game with Qxf3, but I never know how to continue development with that queen in the way.} Nf6 6.Bc4 Bg4 {? - My gambit/gamble has already paid off. If 6. ...Bf5, There are 0-0, Ne5, and Rxf5 tricks also.} 7.Bxf7+ {What me must have overlooked. In theory, these gambits are looked down upon, but with a clock ticking they can be quite good weapons. The trick is to know the gambit well and use it unexpectedly.}
Kxf7 8.Ne5+ {Pure Psychology ... Not! ... Just a fork} Kg8 9.Nxg4 Nxg4 10.Qxg4 {White threatens mate in 1!} Qd7 11.Qe4 {Centralization seemed right, but the c3 knight could have also used this square.} Na6 12.O-O Nc7 13.Bf4 {Heading for e5 to bear down on the king}
Nd5 14.Be5 e6 15.Rf3 {This makes a rook swing possible and prepares to double.} Bd6 {? An error which I fail to exploit. I saw 16.Bxg7 right away but noticed the bishop stops Rg3 attempts. I should have looked harder. 16.Bxg7 Qxg7 17.Qxe6+ mates and 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.Qg4+ does the job.} 16.Raf1 {? - 16.Bxg7! - see last note} Bxe5 17.dxe5 g6 {He's trying to get away!} 18.Qh4 {With visions of f6} Kg7 19.Nxd5
cxd5 20.Qf6+ Kg8 {Black is completely tied down.} 21.h4 {Why not} Re8 {To defend e6 and go to g7} 22.h5 Qg7 {Here white has a mate! I completely missed this concept. 23.h6 Qxf6 24.Rxf6 ... I saw only 24.exf6 Kf7 for some reason. ... 24.Rxf6 deserves a diagram, so I will show it after the game.} 23.Qf7+ Qxf7 24.Rxf7 gxh5 25.Rxb7 Rf8 {??-This loses the game by force. Time trouble may really be to blame.} 26.Rxf8+ Kxf8 27.Rxa7 {Black Resigned ... Nothing can be done about Ra8+, RxR (g8/h8) and marching the a and b pawns. Black's passed pawn is stopped by the c pawn, so he is lost.}
1-0

[Event "ICS Unrated blitz match"]
[Site "freechess.org"]
[Date "2012.11.16"]
[Round "-"]
[White "paulbuchman"]
[Black "GuestWDGM"]
[Result "*"]
[WhiteElo "2095"]
[BlackElo "0"]
[TimeControl "180"]

1.e4 c5 2.c3 {A nice solid, playable move ... It beats having to keep up to date in theory with all the open variations (Najdorf/Dragon/Classical/Accelerated Dragon/Scheveningen/etc etc) ... That's just too much!} d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 {Black exploits the c3 move by centralizing his knight (no Nc3 for white).} 4.d4 {These variations lead to isolated queen pawn positions for white. It's a nice imbalanced game. } cxd4 {Usually premature, unless black has a specific system in mind ... Premature because it gives white's knight c3} 5.cxd4 Nc6 {5. ... e5 may be playable, but white gets a slight pull} 6.Nf3 Bg4 {Black is piling everything on the isolated d pawn.} 7.Nc3 {An odd looking book gambit - The idea is Bxf3 8.gxf3 Qxd4 9.Qxd4 Nxd4 10.Nb5 with a wild position that gives white attacking chances.} Qa5 {This may already be a mistake. He better just play into the gambit above..}
8.d5 {Gaining time ... If Ne5 9.Bb5+ is one way for white to go.} O-O-O 9.Bd2 {Black's troubles are compounding. The knight is under attack and there are discoveries against the queen. The king's position also opens up more tactical opportunities for white.} Ne5 10.Rc1 {Good ... But 10.Nb5 may be better ... Now, discovered checks are in the air too.} Kb8 11.Bf4 {Exploiting the king again} f6 12.Nxe5 {The final shot ... If Bxd1 13.Nc6 double check and Nxa5 leaves white a piece and more ahead.} 13. fxe5 13.Bxe5+ Ka8
14.Qxg4 {White has won a piece, AND black is in a terrible spot. 1-0}

[Event "ICS rated blitz match"]
[Site "freechess.org"]
[Date "2012.11.17"]
[Round "-"]
[White "1800"]
[Black "paulbuchman"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "1800"]
[BlackElo "2099"]
[TimeControl "180"]

1.c4 Nf6 {Planning 2.Nc3 d5 with a Grunfeld} 2.Nf3 {Now d5 may not be so good. If he takes on d5 and plays e4, I don't have the capture on c3. so ...} g6 3.Nc3 d5 {Back in it} 4.d4 Bg7 5.Qb3 {My second Russian this week. Who recommended it this time?} dxc4 6.Qxc4 O-O 7.e4 Bg4 {In the other thread (Center Pin Trick), I met 8.Ne5 and missed a nice trick later.}
8.Be3 Nfd7 {I think this is one of Smyslov's systems. If I go look it up, I'll end up trying to memorize theory. These days, I mostly avoid it and just play chess.} 9.O-O-O {!? A totally unexpected move !} Nb6 10.Qb3 {Here I tried to exploit the early positioning of his king.} a5 {Not really a major attacking move ... Just a little poke toward his king to make him take notice ... If 11.a4, he's loosend his queenside a little.} 11.Be2 a4 {the little pawn that could!} 12.Qc2 Nc6 {or a3 right away ... The knight may hop in at b4 at any time, and a3 would just give him a weakness.} 13.d5 {This is just too much. He's forcing me to make moves I like! Also, my bishop is super active now.} Nb4 14.Qd2 {I saw the tactic Bxc3 Qxc3 Nxa2, but he can just capture on c3 with the b pawn. It's better to just save it.} a3 {Now, he's in big trouble. A lot of this stems from committing his king too early. Also, d5 was a rather pointless move that only helped black.} 15.b3 {The prospect of an open a file was so menacing that he overlooked my two mover.} Bxc3 {If 16.Qxc3 Nxa2+ forks the king and queen. The queen has no other squares either! White Resigns} 0-1

[Event "ICS unrated blitz match"]
[Site "freechess.org"]
[Date "2012.12.09"]
[Round "-"]
[White "GuestRJNF"]
[Black "paulbuchman"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "0"]
[BlackElo "2102"]
[TimeControl "180"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5 {The other day I shot an elephant in my underwear. How it got into my underwear, I will never know. - Elephant Gambit} 3. d4 dxe4 4. Nxe5 Bd6 5. Nc4 {A positional line, going for the bishops - I get this a lot.} Nc6 {I'm not sure whether this is theory, or I just started playing it. Threat Nxd4 Qxd4 Bb4+ winning the queen} 6. Nxd6+ Qxd6 {Down the bishops, but up a little time} 7. c3 {7.Be3 Nf6 or f5}
Nf6 8. Be2 h5 {Feeling a little aggressive} 9. h3 Bf5 10. O-O Qd7 {Setting up black's next move, but this probably isn't right ... I havent developed enough yet.} 11. b4 Bxh3 12. b5 Ne7 13. gxh3 Qxh3 {Two pawns + attack for piece}
14. Bf4 {safeguarding h2 in case of Ng4} Ned5 {Trying to eliminate the defender of h2 and play Ng4} 15. Be5 {Here, I missed a nice move ... 15. ... Rh6 continues the attack and gives white serious trouble.} Ng4 16. c4 f6 {or Nxe5 right away - possibly better - if 16. .... Nxe5 17.dxe5 Nf4 is a win.} 17. Bg3 {Here black has white in a mating net! ... The finish is slightly unusual, and that is why I include the game here.} Nde3 {Qg2 mate is threatened. If 18.fxe3 Qxg3+ and Qh2 mates.} 18. Bxg4 hxg4 {Qg2 mate was better, but this just takes an extra move. Qh1 or Qg2 are in the cards, and if fxe3 Qxg3 is also mate. White Resigned}
0-1

[Event "ICS Unrated blitz match"]
[Site "freechess.org"]
[Date "2012.12.13"]
[Round "-"]
[White "paulbuchman"]
[Black "GuestBQHR"]
[Result "*"]
[WhiteElo "2102"]
[BlackElo "0"]
[TimeControl "180"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Bc5 6. d4 exd4 7. O-O dxc3
8. Nxc3 d6 9. Nd5 Be6 10. Bb2 f6 11. Nxc7+ Qxc7 12. Bxe6 Qb6 13. Rb1 Qa5
14. Qb3 Nge7 15. Qxb7 Rb8 16. Qd7+ Kf8 17. Bc3 Rd8 18. Bxa5

[Event "ICS unrated blitz match"]
[Site "freechess.org"]
[Date "2012.12.13"]
[Round "-"]
[White "paulbuchman"]
[Black "GuestYFDY"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2102"]
[BlackElo "0"]
[TimeControl "180"]

1. e4 d5 2. d4 dxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. f3 exf3 5. Nxf3 c6 6. Ne5 Nbd7 7. Qf3
Nxe5 8. dxe5 Nd5 9. Bc4 e6 10. O-O Qd7 11. Bg5 Bc5+ 12. Kh1 O-O 13. Ne4 Be7
14. Rad1 b5 15. Nf6+ Bxf6 16. Bxf6 bxc4 17. Qg4 g6 18. Qg5
{GuestYFDY resigns} 1-0

[Event "ICS Unrated blitz match"]
[Site "freechess.org"]
[Date "2012.12.13"]
[Round "-"]
[White "paulbuchman"]
[Black "GuestBQHR"]
[Result "*"]
[WhiteElo "2102"]
[BlackElo "0"]
[TimeControl "180"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 {Old Man Evans is in his boat again.} Bxb4 5. c3 Bc5 6. d4 {It is best not to castle and give black time to play d6 and Bb6-the Lasker Defense.} exd4 7. O-O dxc3 {Not quite the compromised defense - bishop is on a5 in that variation}
8. Nxc3 {simple development-8.Bxf7+ with Qd5xc5 is also possible} d6 9. Nd5 {A spur of the moment idea connected with Bb2 - I'd seen some old Anderseen Evanses years ago with Bb2 - 9.Qb3 is also playable.} Be6 10. Bb2 f6 {walking right into a tactic - gambits rewards} 11. Nxc7+ Qxc7 12. Bxe6 {I got one pawn back and my lone bishop keeps him from castling to either side!} Qb6 13. Rb1 {Not only defending but also threatening a discovery ... It's all about gaining time in the Open Games.} Qa5
14. Qb3 {forking g8 and b7} Nge7 15. Qxb7 Rb8 16. Qd7+ Kf8 17. Bc3 {One last trick ... I'd love to slip in Rxb8 Nxb8 Qd8 mate if the queen strays away. Qd8 is best, but after a queen trade I have a great position.} Rd8 18. Bxa5 {If Rxd7 19.Bxd7 and a capture on a5 runs into Rb8xh8 1-0}

[Event "ICS unrated blitz match"]
[Site "freechess.org"]
[Date "2012.12.13"]
[Round "-"]
[White "paulbuchman"]
[Black "GuestYFDY"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2102"]
[BlackElo "0"]
[TimeControl "180"]

1. e4 d5 2. d4 dxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. f3 exf3 5. Nxf3 c6 {A pretty good defense ... c6 can turn out to be a nice waiting move.} 6. Ne5 {Perhaps theory, but I just started playing it on my own. It's similar to a lot of other lines, especially if black plays Bf5.} Nbd7 7. Qf3 {the point}
Nxe5 8. dxe5 Nd5 9. Bc4 {The tactics begin early / Nxc3 white takes on f7 before recapturing} e6 10. O-O {Mate Threat} Qd7 {An odd placement ... 11.Nxd5 cxd5 12.Bb5 would work, but I don't have a good response to exd5.} 11. Bg5 {I debated this and Ne4. Ne4 was better, but I thought this would be a little annoying.} Bc5+ 12. Kh1 O-O 13. Ne4 Be7 {Here, Nf6 ideas come into mind. His king just looks like a target. I figured I should pin the knight on d5 and then go for it. This turns out to be a mistake. 14.Nf6+! is the correct move and a killer!}
14. Rad1 b5 15. Nf6+ {15. ... gxf6 16.exf6 was planned but 16.Bh6 is better Kh8 17.exf6 Rg8 18.Bg7+ leads to a winning attack.} Bxf6 16. Bxf6 {?! - 16.Bxd5 first was necessary for equality.} bxc4 {??- This throws a well defended game. gxf6 17.exf6 e5 holds! This allows Qg4 to interpose for black. I completely missed this. White can grab some pawns with 18.Bxd5 cxd5 19.Rxd5 Qg4, but he is in a bad way.} 17. Qg4 {Now, black is lost.} g6 18. Qg5 {The simple threat of Qh6 and Qg7 is too much. Black would have to give up serious material to avoid the immediate mate. Resigns.}
1-0

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 e6 4. Nc3 Nc6 5. a3 Nf6 6. d3 Be7 7. Bg5 O-O 8. Qd2 Bd7 9. O-O h6 10. Be3 Ng4 11. Bf4 Nge5 12. Nxe5 Nxe5 13. Ne2 Nxc4 14. dxc4 e5 15. Be3 Be6 16. b3 f5 17. f3 f4 18. Bf2 Bh4 19. Nc3 Bxf2+ 20. Rxf2 Qe7 21. Nd5 Bxd5 22. cxd5 b5 23. Qd3 a6 24. c4 Rab8 25. cxb5 axb5 26. a4 Qa7 27. Kf1 Qa5 1/2-1/2

[Event "ICS Unrated blitz match"]
[Site "freechess.org"]
[Date "2013.01.11"]
[White "paulbuchman"]
[Black "GuestJBRL"]
[WhiteElo "2103"]
[BlackElo "0"]
[TimeControl "180"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 {I always remember Seirawan's note here. This dodges the 3 B's (Benoni,Budapest,& Benko).} c5 {He wants a Benoni type position anyway. White has quite a few tries here. 3.e3 is a Colle move. 3.c3 can be a London or Torre waiting move. 3.dxc5 or 3.g3 are for people who like to experiment.} 3.d5 {Considered Best} b5 {A Benko Gambit without the gambit ... Actually, black just takes some space on the queenside. Black's problem is that he isn't developing any pieces.} 4.Bg5 {Played by Kasparov and good enough for me} Qb6 {I was expecting Ne4. Here I decided to sac a pawn to split the black army right down the middle.} 5.d6 {Playable, but probably not best ... Most definitely blitz worthy. The computer suggests 5. ... h6 among others.} Qxd6 {A Mistake ... White's gamble totally pays off.} 6.Qxd6 {Starting a forced sequence} exd6 7.Bxf6 gxf6 8.Nc3 {Black tends to the b5 pawn, and white hops in at d5.} b4 {same response to a6 ...} 9.Nd5 {Honestly, this is all I say when I decided to sac the pawn. I didn't really need concrete analysis. I knew black's army would be all separated and undeveloped. The black kingside pawns are wrecked. Black has no development, and there are problems at f6 and c7. In addition, there are doubled backward pawns on an open d file. What more could white want?} Kd8 {If 10.Nxf6 Bg7 skewers b2!} 10.O-O-O {defending b2 and renewing the Nxf6 threat} Be7 {Holding the f6 pawn and preparing Bb7 to eliminate the attacker of f6} 11.Nh4 {If not for this move, white's attack wouldn't be as strong. I hadn't planned it in the beginning, but good moves just seem to flow from sound positional advantages.} Bb7 12.Nxe7 {Just in time ... White swaps a good knight for a weak bishop but gains a pawn in the process. The remaining black d pawn and f pawns are still very weak.} Kxe7 13.Nf5+ Ke6 {His king is feeling brave!} 14.Nxd6 {with tempo} Bc6 15.e4 {preparing my next move} a5 16.Bc4+ { I was hoping for Ke5 when all I need is a white pawn on f4!} Ke7 17.Rhe1 {Rather than grab f7, I decided to get the last piece into play. The threat is stronger than the execution!} Rf8 {Here I overdo it a bit. This is my first misstep of the game.} 18.e5 {I saw Bxg2 19.exf6+ Kxf6, but I didn't realize how secure his king is on f6! Black would still be slightly worse, but white's attack is much harder there.} fxe5 {Luckily black errs ... Not really surprising since it's a blitz game and he's been defending the whole time.} 19.Rxe5+ Kf6 20.Rf5+ Kg7 {Rather than go pawn hunting on f7, I decided to keep the attack going. } 21.Rd3 Na6 22.Rg3+ {Black is in serious trouble.} Kh8 {Here I made another innacuracy. The move I played is good enough to win, but I had better.} 23.Nxf7+ {Wins the rook and forces resignation but ... 23.Rfg5 is a mating net. The main idea is Rg8 Rxg8 Nxf7, deflecting the rook and capturing on f7 with mate!}

[Result "1-0"]
[FEN "r4r1k/3p1p1p/n1bN4/p1p3R1/1pB5/6R1/PPP2PPP/2K5 b - - 8 1"]
[SetUp "1"]

{--------------
r . . . . r . k
. . . p . p . p
n . b N . . . .
p . p . . . R .
. p B . . . . .
. . . . . . R .
P P P . . P P P
. . K . . . . .
black to play
--------------}
1... a4 2. Rg8+ Rxg8 3. Nxf7#
{White mates} 1-0

[Result "1-0"]
[FEN "r4r1k/3p1p1p/n1bN4/p1p3R1/1pB5/6R1/PPP2PPP/2K5 b - - 8 1"]
[SetUp "1"]

{--------------
r . . . . r . k
. . . p . p . p
n . b N . . . .
p . p . . . R .
. p B . . . . .
. . . . . . R .
P P P . . P P P
. . K . . . . .
black to play
--------------}
1... h6 2. Rh5 Kh7 3. Nf5 d5 4. Rxh6#
{White mates} 1-0

[Result "1-0"]
[FEN "r4r1k/3p1p1p/n1bN4/p1p3R1/1pB5/6R1/PPP2PPP/2K5 b - - 8 1"]
[SetUp "1"]

{--------------
r . . . . r . k
. . . p . p . p
n . b N . . . .
p . p . . . R .
. p B . . . . .
. . . . . . R .
P P P . . P P P
. . K . . . . .
black to play
--------------}
1... h6 2. Rh5 Be4 3. Nxe4 Kh7 4. Nf6+ Kh8 5. Rxh6#
{White mates} 1-0